Ikram Aliskerov (15-1) claims that Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coaching style is similar to that of his father.
Aliskerov is scheduled to face Robert Whittaker (25-7) in the main event of UFC on ABC 6 on June 22 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A native of Dagestan, Aliskerov frequently trains with former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and his protégé Islam Makhachev. Like many of the region’s elite fighters, Aliskerov had the opportunity to train under Nurmagomedov’s late father, Abdulmanap, who is widely regarded as a pioneer of mixed martial arts in the region.
Aliskerov recently detailed why he believes Nurmagomedov is one of the best coaches in the world: Abdulmanap’s emphasis on discipline over talent is what sets Nurmagomedov apart, he said.
“His greatest characteristic, and I always say that, was that he was very disciplined,” Aliskeroff told Shakiel Majli. “He even had a saying: ‘Discipline always trumps class.’ So for him, discipline was more important than virtuosity. So I think that’s what we all learned from him, and that’s what made him unique.”
Following the death of his father, Khabib retired from boxing as an undefeated champion to become a coach for his teammates and cousins. Despite his success, “The Eagle” claimed he was stepping away from boxing entirely in January 2023, citing the need to spend time with his family. However, the UFC Hall of Famer returned to cornerback duties in his title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 earlier this month. Nurmagomedov was seen diligently coaching Makhachev, who held his own against Poirier, winning by submission in the fifth round. Javier Mendez, Nurmagomedov and Makhachev’s longtime coach at the American Kickboxing Academy, was of the opinion that “The Eagle” needs to be more moderate while coaching.
But Aliskerov believes Nurmagomedov’s strict training approach is a result of him following in his father’s footsteps, and like his father, Nurmagomedov places a high value on discipline, which he says is not to everyone’s liking.
“Khabib is on the same path, he’s also very disciplined,” said the 31-year-old. “He makes other fighters do the same amount of work that he had to do or still has to do, so there’s no one who can compete or sustain the same level of work that Khabib makes them do.”
Makhachev currently sits atop the UFC pound-for-pound rankings, while Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White has hailed Jon Jones as the Dagestani P4P champion, but Aliskerov undoubtedly disagrees, saying Makhachev’s recent performances have outpaced those of “Bones,” who has only fought one bout since 2020.
“Of course, Islam. There’s no question about that,” Aliskerov said. “Look at how many fights he’s had recently. He’s always been active. Of course, Jon Jones is a legendary fighter, so credit should go to him, obviously. But with the amount of work that Islam puts in and the amount of activity, I don’t think there’s anyone who can match his status.”
Aliskerov began his UFC career with consecutive first-round wins and has not lost since his only professional loss, to Khamzat Chimaev at Brave CF in 2019. Aliskerov stepped in on nine days’ notice to take on Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia as a replacement for an ill Chimaev.
